Editing Pope Gregory X (section)

==Early life==

Teobaldo Visconti, a member of the [[Visconti of Milan|Visconti family]], was born in [[Piacenza]] around 1210.

It is said that he began his career by attaching himself to the household of the [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] Cardinal [[James of Pecorara|Giacomo di Pecorari]], [[Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina|
Bishop of Palestrina]] (1231–1244), who was also from Piacenza. He was attracted by the reputation of holiness which the Cardinal enjoyed; he had been elected abbot of the monastery of Trois-Fontaines in [[County of Champagne|Champagne]]. Teobaldo became the Cardinal's Oeconomus or [[Majordomo]], and was therefore in constant attendance.<ref>Pietro Maria Campi ''Dell' historia ecclesiastica di Piacenza'' II (Piacenza 1651), p. 155, quoting from manuscripts in the Cathedral library at Piacenza and at the Church of S. Antonino. Campi was a Canon of the Cathedral.</ref> The Cardinal was Legate of Pope Gregory IX in Tuscany in 1235, in Lombardy in 1236–1237, and in Provence, France and Germany in 1239–1241. It was probably during the assignment in Provence that Teobaldo became known to important French clergy and laity.<ref>Campi, p. 163.</ref> He was already Canon of the Basilica of S. Antonino in Piacenza when he returned to Piacenza on business of the Cardinal in 1239.<ref>Campi. p. 167. The date of appointment as Canon is unknown, as is the patron. It may have been family influence, the influence of his uncle the Archbishop of Milan, or that of Cardinal Giacomo de Pecorari. In September 1239, he is signatory to a contract drawn up by the Canons of the Basilica.</ref>

He then returned to the Cardinal, whose new assignment in France was actually to preach a [[crusade against Frederick II]], the [[Hohenstaufen]] Emperor, who was again at war with Pope Gregory IX. Early in 1239, the Pope had again excommunicated the Emperor. Each had demanded an [[Ecumenical Council]] to settle their differences. The Pope was willing, but he planned that the council would meet under his auspices and in his territory. He would also bring to Rome all of the enemies of Frederick Hohenstaufen. It was at this point in 1240 that Teobaldo also became a [[Canons Regular|Canon]] of the Cathedral of Lyons, at the request of the Canons made to Cardinal Giacomo de Pecorari when a vacancy in their number occurred.<ref>Campi, p. 169; P. Clerion, ''Histoire de Lyon'' Tome troisieme (Lyon 1830), pp. 276-277. Giuseppe de Novaes, ''Elementi della storia de'sommi pontefici da San Pietro, sino al Pio papa VII'' III (Roma 1821), p. 249.</ref> Pope Gregory's ecumenical council never took place, and he died on 22 August 1241.

The search for a successor to Gregory IX took more than two months. The new Pope, Celestine IV, who was old and ill, survived his election by only 17 days, dying on 10 November 1241. The second electoral assembly of 1241 did not take place for some time, however. The cardinals who were in Rome at the pope's death, having endured considerable mistreatment during the Vacancy of 22 August 1241 to 25 October 1241, which they did not want to endure again, scattered immediately.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1241-b.html|title= The Sede Vacante and Conclave of 10 November 1241-24 June 1243|first=Dr. J. P. |last=Adams}}</ref> Only a half-dozen of the 12 cardinals remained in the city. It was not until June 1243 that all the Cardinals, assembled at [[Anagni]] and not in Rome, elected Cardinal Sinibaldo Fieschi of Genoa as [[Pope Innocent IV]]. In 1243, when the Bishop of Piacenza died, Innocent IV offered the position to [[Archdeacon]] Teobaldo, who declined, preferring to follow in the company of Cardinal Giacomo.<ref>Muratori, p. 600.</ref> Cardinal Giacomo, however, died in Rome on 25 June 1244.